And it’s a way for me to get out of my own head and think about the needs and dreams and wants of others for even a moment.

Prayer is my way out of the head else I am trapped inside.

Islam suggests do “prayer” five times a day. I think it can be done all day long.

4. Fasting

Every religion has some idea of fasting. And like all good science fiction, the truths inside the story were only realized much later.

With modern science we now know the benefits of fasting to clean out the system, keep weight in control, avoid diseases like diabetes, and avoid inflammation in various organs, including the brain.

I try to do intermittent fasting a few times a week. Meaning: A 16 hour fast so all my food for the day is consumed during just an eight hour period.

Sometimes this just means, “skip breakfast”.

5. Charity

I don’t believe in writing checks to big organizations where I have no idea how the money will be used. So I don’t like traditional charities.

But I do set aside money each month to give as much as I can in completely random situations: to homeless people who ask. As a ridiculously large tip, since often this is the only way that low-wage workers get paid more.

Or in other situations where I can help or do things anonymously.

In Judaism, to give anonymously is considered the highest good. In Islam, it is one of the main pillars of their religion.

For me, it’s a way to reduce my attachments and worries about money while helping someone. This helps me in the process of “surrender”.

6. Pilgrimage

In Islam, this means: pilgrimage to Mecca.

I will never do this.

But I try to go on a pilgrimage every day. To spend some time exploring what I love instead of just following the directions someone else tells me to do.

Every day I try to have the heart of a pilgrim. In Zen this is called “beginner’s mind”.

Arrogance is the opposite of pilgrimage.

I don’t watch the people arguing on TV about who killed who under what god’s name. All of that is BS and fiction.

“Follow the money” is how you get all the answers to those questions. This has nothing to do with “Surrender” for me.

But when I look at my own definitions of these five pillars: “faith”, “prayer”, “fasting”, “charity”, “pilgrimage”, I find these are guideposts in the direction of “surrender”.

And surrender has often been a great source of success and creativity for me.

It’s not about god. It’s not about a book. Or a history. Or a war.

It’s about how I can live today the best possible life. And the only possible way to predict a good tomorrow is if I live a good life today.